Unity of Thought and Action
fבפ’ מרבים העם. כתבתי כבר במ”א כי הבינו החכמים שלא הי’ הריבוי בשלימות On the pasuk “the nation is bringing too much” (Shemos 36:5). We have written elsewhere that the sages who wanted to stop the donations) realised that the extra that was being donated was not being done perfectly. כי בוודאי לעולם הרצון והדעת מרובה על המתקיים במעשה ובפועל. ולמשכן לא קיבלו רק הנדבה הנתקנת בכל השלימות. For it is clear that the desire and the understanding is always greater than what actually does. For the Mishkan they only accepted the gifts that were given in absolute perfection. (Since there was an over enthusiasm to give, this showed that it was not with the correct intentions) ואיתא אחד המרבה והממעיט ובלבד שיכוין לבו לשמים. ויתכן לפרש על המרבה כי הריבוי צריך שמירה שיהי’ לשם שמים כראוי. וע’ בטור או”ח סי’ א’ שנראה ג”כ שהבין כך. It states (see Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 1:3) “One who gives a lot and one who gives a little (are equal) so long as their intention is for the sake of Heaven”. It is possible to explain that one who gives a lot needs extra protection for it to be given for the sake of Heaven. See the Tur (ibid) who it seems also understood so. ואותן החכמים העושין הי’ חכמה שלהם נמשך בתוך המעשה לא חכמה בלבד. כמ”ש מעין זה בס’ קול שמחה על המדרש בהמה כתיב ע”ש. Now these wise people that were building the Mishkan, their wisdom flowed into the actions and it was not just wisdom (separated from action, they were intertwined). As it states in the sefer Kol Simcha on the Midrash בהמה כתיב. וז”ש לחשוב מחשבות לעשות כו’ שלא יהי’ נפרד המעשה מן המחשבה והדעת כנ”ל: This is the idea of the pasuk “To think thoughts to do” that the action should not be disconnected from the the thoughts and understanding.
On these themes in Vayakhel
See also across the library
Lishmah & Kavanahלשמה
Daas & Chochmahדעת וחכמה
- Raised hands draw blessing from the supernal rootNaso · תרמ"ט · Essay 2
- Hanukkah as Spiritual PreparationChanukah · תרמ"ח · Essay 12
- Hidden light revealed through concealmentVayikra · תרמ"ו · Essay 1
- True unity belongs to AvrahamLech Lecha · תרמ"ד · Essay 4
- Shavuos as the oath of Sinai and tefillin of the headShavuot · תרמ"ב · Essay 5
The Mishkanמשכן
- Enduring Light of ChanukahChanukah · תרמ"ה · Essay 4
- Enduring Light of ChanukahChanukah · תרמ"ד · Essay 7
- Elevating action through bittul lishmahTerumah · תרמ"ג · Essay 2
- Selfless intent draws down the highest holinessVayikra · תרל"ז · Essay 2
- Revealing the Shechinah in every actTerumah · תרל"ז · Essay 2